1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of cable locks and in particular, to a lock suitable for securing bicycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Bicycle theft has been a persistent problem, especially in urban areas. Cable locks have been employed to secure bicycles to immovable objects, such as lamp posts and fencing in an attempt to prevent theft of the bicycles. They have been also used to lock the wheels to the bicycle frame by threading the cable through the spokes of the wheel and an enclosed portion of the frame to prevent theft of the wheels. However, traditional cable locks tend to be bulky and inconvenient because they generally must be stowed by wrapping around the seat support or some portion of the frame.
Generally, such features as size, weight, strength, and convenience are important to the selection of a suitable lock. Some locks, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,950,972; 3,990,279; and 4,126,024; employ a reel for storing the cable inside a housing. In such arrangements a single reel is used for dispensing the cable, but the size and weight of these devices are not entirely satisfactory because a single reel lock must be relatively large and would therefore be heavy, unsightly and bulky would add to wind resistance. Large cable reels also pose a problem of finding a convenient position on the frame on which to mount the device.
Another problem with cable locks of the type previously known, particularly those utilizing a flat surface reel, is the potential for jamming when the cable is retracted because such locks generally lack any means to guide the cable into the housing.
The present invention overcomes the above described and other difficulties encountered in the prior art.